Later
by Mad Library Scientist
Summary: A short series of themed drabbles as told by the Survivors of Thanos in a post-Snap world. Dedicated to the late and great Stan Lee.


**Later**

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"Then it will be the noblest ending in history." - General Okoye

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Later, when she's standing guard outside the newly coronated queen's room (and valiantly trying not to react to the soft sounds of sobbing that she can hear within, nor to the sounds of the funeral drums still echoing in the distance), she considers that perhaps the sight of a member of the Dora Milaje desperately scrambling in the dirt where their king, their _friend_ disappeared is hardly what one would call a "noble" ending to a battle, but she can hardly bring herself to care.

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"Oh my God, we're all going to die!" - Ned Leeds

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Later, when he's sitting between the forms of a weeping May, and an MJ who looks as stoic as ever, but for the subtle shaking he can feel in his left side, all he can do is stare at the haggard form of Tony Stark sitting across from them and wonder if he'll develop the same dark bags under his eyes in the days to come.

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"Boss, we're losing her." - F.R.I.D.A.Y.

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Later, when his legs give out at the news, and he has to be supported by Rhodey's artificial ones (and a small part of him sees the irony of being held up by another piece of Starktech), he realizes that the pain in his side from being stabbed by his own sword is nothing compared to the pain he's feeling in his heart this very moment.

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"Well, if I'm wrong, then, what more could I lose?" - Thor

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Later, when he's being hugged by a nearly hysterical Darcy Lewis, does he realize that there was, in fact, still more that the universe was capable of taking from him after all, and a secret part of him nearly wishes that his sister had taken both of his eyes so as not to look upon a universe in which Jane Foster no longer exists.

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"You should've killed me." "Would've been a waste of parts!" - Nebula & Thanos

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Later, when she's half-dragging, half-carrying a nearly catatonic Stark across the desolate landscape of Titan to the _Benatar_ , she thinks that perhaps her father leaving her body with the ability to feel might have been more a more cruel machination than the countless surgeries she was forced to undergo throughout her childhood.

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"I just feel you." - Vision

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Later, after his body has been repaired and his mind restored from the backup created by the then princess of Wakanda, he first assumes that his inability to feel Wanda's presence is due to no longer having possession of the Mind Stone, yet the solemn glances he sees Steve and Bruce exchange quickly disperses that notion.

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"I could lose a lot. Me, personally, I could lose a lot." - Rocket

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Later, after listening to Nebula's message for the eighth or so time since receiving it that morning, he takes a glance over at the half-built weapon he'd been working on (and damn, if these humans and their Vibranium as he's come learned it's called don't make for some awesome weaponry) and realizes that he'll need to start over from scratch; to make it at least five times more powerful than its current form, so as to be able to kill that purple bastard five times over now.

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 **This is something I came up with at work, and couldn't get out of my head all day. If I come up with other drabbles, I'll probably put them in subsequent chapters.**

 **I would like to dedicate this story to the great Stan Lee, who built one of the most expansive and elaborate sandboxes ever conceived for us to play in.**


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